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All of the toys loved Andy, that part was true enough. He played with them and that was love. That was what they yearned for. It was what fueled them-that childhood magic that made them feel warm and safe and wanted. Every toy felt it when they had a great owner.
Woody loved Andy too, but it was different. He had never told anyone, not even Buzz, but his love for Andy almost scared him. While most toys saw their kids as the giver, the provider, the protector, Woody saw Andy for what he was-a child. Woody wanted to be the protector. There was nothing Woody wanted more than for Andy to be happy, and when Andy was sad, Woody felt for him in a way that wasn't just added disappointment because a crying child meant no playtime.
He remembered when Mr. Davis passed away. Andy's father had been Woody's previous owner, but as childhood slipped away, so did the memories of the child. It was just how things worked. When a toy got a new owner, they gradually forgot about their previous one, leaving only a wisp of once was. Woody hadn't remembered Mr. Davis as a child by that time, only as Andy's father. When Andy turned five, Woody had been wrapped up in special paper. Woody still remembered the little boy not yet in kindergarten holding him for the first time, clutching him to his chest, and the painful longing for the previous owner leaving his conscious like a bad dream. Andy was here now. Andy was everything.
It was night when Andy was brought into his bedroom, his mother holding him. Woody remembered hearing hoarse sobs and Mrs. Davis sighing into his hair as she rocked him. Woody had been lying on the bed, frozen as always (as was the law of the toy), but he wanted nothing more than to comfort that little boy he loved so much, and could not.
“Daddy!” Andy had sobbed into his mother's shirt as she rocked him, crying too. “My daddy!”
For days, Woody was clutched to Andy like the little boy's life depended on it. They didn't really play, but after the funeral and Christmas, things returned to normal.
Molly was born, Buzz arrived, a puppy came around...Woody was there for all of it, and even with all of the changes, his love for Andy never leveled out the way a toy should feel for their owner. It worried him. A lot.
Woody wasn't really sure what praying was. He knew people did it and it looked a lot like wishing or hoping only asking somebody instead of just expressing want. When all of the toys-and Andy- were asleep one night, Woody crawled out from under Andy's arm, and made his way to the window. Careful not to wake anyone, he climbed up onto the window sill and stared out. The very thought shamed him, and he kept it deep, deep inside, but closing his eyes, he said what he assumed might be a prayer.
“I want to be human,” he whispered as quietly as he could. “I want to be human so that Andy really can be mine, and I can never lose him.”
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“Hank?”
There was a voice, a female voice. Woody stirred slightly. Something didn't feel right. Many things didn't feel right, and what was that bright light that was irritating?
“Hank, can you hear me?”
“Mmm...I...wha?” Woody opened his eyes and felt a tremendous pain in his head.
Wait.
That wasn't right. Toys didn't feel pain. Not real pain. Not like this. He shifted slightly, trying to adjust himself to this strange sensation. The voice sounded so familiar, but he couldn't concentrate. The lights were so bright, and the pain in his head was so bad.
“Where am I?” He finally slurred.
“You're at Mercy hospital,” the voice said, and as his vision came into focus, Woody recognized her.
“I'm a nurse,” she told him, fidgeting with some wires. “My name is Karen Davis. You were in an accident and you've been unconscious for a few days.”
“Accident...” Woody said, confused. A horrible thought crossed his mind and made him feel ill. Mr. Davis had died in an accident. What if Andy-
“Andy!” He said, sitting up and wincing immediately. This was definitely real pain.
“Whoa, easy there, Hank,” the nurse said. “You have a couple of broken ribs, a broken collar bone, and a lot of bruising.”
She softened slightly and said, “Andy, huh? That's my son's name. Everyone thinks it's Andrew, but-”
“It's just Andy,” Woody finished, already knowing that. He wouldn't believe how many times that air-headed kindergarten teacher had gotten onto him thinking she was using his full name by calling him Andrew.
The nurse's brows furrowed slightly, and her smile seemed to be frozen in place.
“Yeah,” she said. “That's right. It's just Andy.”
As she worked on a chart, she asked, “Who's your Andy?”
“Um...nobody, I don't know why I said that,” he lied.
What on earth was going on? He looked at his hands which were large and fleshy and covered in scratches with two tubes taped to his left hand. Was he dreaming? Was this really happening? He carefully brought a hand to his face and felt warm, soft skin.
“Could you tell me your last name please?” The nurse asked.
“My last name...?” He asked quietly, still running his palm up and down his scratchy jaw.
“You briefly woke up and told us something and we caught 'Hank' maybe, but you didn't give us a last name,” the nurse said. “There was no ID on you, so as of right now, you're a John Doe.”
“I, uh, don't remember...” he said with a deep sigh, suddenly feeling exhausted in a way he didn't know toys could feel. “I don't remember anything.”
“That's okay,” the nurse said gently, touching his hand, which felt equally warm. “Right now, you just rest, okay?”
Another nurse came in and handed her a cordless phone. Nurse Karen rolled her eyes affectionately, as if she'd been expecting this call, and held up one finger as if to say 'one moment'.
“Hey, Sweetheart,” she said. “You really shouldn't be up this late. Yes, Baby, I'm almost done. Uh huh. Well, when you get up tomorrow I'll help you look, okay? Okay, time for bed, Andy. Love you.”
When she hung up she said, “My son. He's lost his favorite toy...little cowboy, sheriff doll. Woody is his name.”
After the nurse left him alone, Woody lay back on the thin pillows and stared up at the ceiling. This had to be a dream. There was no way, no logical, explainable way, that he was here. That he was human. It just didn't make any sense.
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Over the next few days, Woody regained some of his strength back and could even walk, which felt heavier than it ever had as a toy. How did humans walk properly? Their legs were so heavy! He also was surprised to find he had an actual body. As a toy, his clothes had essentially been his body, but now clothes came off, even though technically he'd been in a hospital gown and then moved to sweatpants and a t-shirt. Everything was so strange, and he didn't think he'd ever get used to bodily functions. Nurse Karen, who he'd always known as simply 'Andy's mom' was extremely patient with him, as nurturing and playful as he'd always seen her.
“So you really have no idea who you are?” She asked, bringing him his lunch one day on a tray. “Not even the slightest clue.”
“To be honest,” he said, being as honest as he could be. “I don't think I was anybody.”
“Oh, everyone is someone,” she replied.
Woody wondered if this was what Buzz had gone through when he made the realization that he was toy. It seemed almost surreal to be here, to be among humans, but talking and interacting with them. Still, he longed for Andy.
“You know,” Karen said. “The doctor already told you that she's thinking of discharging you in a few days, but obviously you have nowhere to go if you don't know who you are. My sister runs a shelter. It's mostly for recovering addicts, but I'm sure she'd make an exception for a temporary guest like you.”
“A shelter?” Woody repeated quietly, afraid.
He hadn't thought about that. Home had always been Andy's room. Home had always been the spot on Andy's bed. Home had always been Andy.
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Woody ended up at the shelter under the name 'Hank'. He had knowledge of people, had been around them. Luckily he had an adult thought process, but being a toy, or having been a toy anyway, it was a child like innocence that betrayed his adult appearance. These other adults-these men, were frightening to him. He mostly just tried to stay out of their way. All of them helped with chores around the house, and Woody did most of said chores just to keep busy. He was wearing clothes that sagged on him, and he longed for his hat .He felt vulnerable like this.
The only good thing about all of this was Nora, Karen's sister. She was younger, with lighter hair and darker eyes and had a slight rasp to her voice, but she was fierce. These men were not afraid of her. As a toy, she would have made a great cowgirl.
“I hope you find what you're looking for,” she told Woody one night as they walked the sacks of garbage out to the curb. “You don't belong here, Hank. Whoever you were, you were somebody special.”
One morning, just as Woody had started making mop water, Nora entered the kitchen, jingling car keys. “How would you like to go out for breakfast?” She asked. “On me.”
“Um...” Woody said.
“Come on,” she coaxed. “I have a surprise for you.”
Woody had gone on errand runs with Nora a few times now. She seemed to take to him like how a child took a toy. She liked him to be where she was. She liked to talk to him, to tell him her dreams and ambitions. She would tell him bizarre dreams she'd had the night before. He wanted to ask her about the toys she'd had as a child because he knew they'd probably loved her a lot, but she wouldn't understand. She'd find it weird, and he didn't need things to be any weirder than they already were.
The surprise was better than Woody could have hoped for. Instead of a diner or restaurant, they'd pulled into the driveway of...
“Andy...” Woody breathed out, thinking this nightmare was all about to be over. That he would once again be a toy in the arms of the boy he loved.
“That's right!” Nora chirped. “Karen's house! She's been worried about you. Worried I might have already turned you into Cinderella.”
She laughed at her own joke and Woody forced himself to laugh with her. Nora let herself in with a key, and Woody felt a wave of security wash over him. Molly toddled by only wearing a diaper singing in the language of babies. Buster chased her happily.
“Karen?” Nora called. “We're here!”
“Oh, good!” Karen called back from the kitchen. “I just got done making the last batch of pancakes.”
“Aunt Karen!”
Woody's heart pounded in his chest as Andy, his Andy, raced down the stairs and into Nora's arms. She laughed and kissed his head.
“Howdy, Cowboy,” she said, taking note of his cowboy hat. “Speaking of which, did you ever find your Woody doll?”
Andy pouted slightly.
“Oh, well, maybe we can replace him-” Nora started, but her sister cleared her throat loudly and shook her head.
“Right,” Nora said, touching Andy's chin. “I'm sure he'll turn up.”
She squinted mischievously and said, “You know, when we're not looking, toys get up and move around, but the second you catch them...BAM! They fall right back down!”
Andy laughed and his mother said sarcastically, “Ha ha.”
Andy's eyes fell to Woody.
“Oh, this is Hank,” Nora introduced.
“Hi, Hank,” Andy said.
“Hey...Partner,” Woody said.
Andy skipped into the kitchen and Woody longed to follow him, but stayed where he was. Nora had found Molly by this point and was holding her at eye level, giving her tickles and talking to her in baby talk.
“Alright, everyone,” Karen said. “Pancakes are ready.”
“Um, sorry,” Woody said. “Could I, uh, use your bathroom?”
“Sure, there's one right upstairs. First door on your left,” she said.
“Thanks,” Woody said, knowing very well where the bathroom was.
He went upstairs and stood in front of Andy's open doorway. Looking around to make sure the coast was clear, he walked in.
“Guys,” he said quietly. “Hey, guys.”
None of the toys moved. Woody sighed in frustration and looked around. He noticed Buzz.
“Buzz!” He said in an excite whisper, picking him up. “Hey, Buzz, it's me! Woody! Buzz, talk to me. Please!”
Buzz didn't say or do anything.
“Buzz, you have to believe me,” Woody said. “It really is me. Something happened, and I'm human now, but I need your help, and the only way I'm gonna get it is if you talk to me.”
Still nothing.
“That's Buzz.”
Woody jumped slightly at the sound of Andy's voice. He didn't seem frightened or weirded out that some strange man was in his room.
“He's a space ranger,” Andy said, holding out his hands and Woody reluctantly passed him over. “He's the second in command to the town sheriff, Woody, but I can't find him anywhere so Buzz has been doing all of the work.”
Woody smiled kind of sadly.
“Bet he keeps you happy, though, right?” He asked.
Andy nodded and shrugged at the same time.
“I still miss Woody,” he said. “I don't sleep good at night without him.”
Woody knew that much was true. Before Buzz came along, and his father's death was still fresh, Andy would walk around the house howling looking for him until Woody would purposefully move himself from wherever Andy left him to an easy to find spot.
“Well, I'll bet that old sheriff misses you too,” he told Andy.
“Aunt Nora said toys get up and move around when you're not looking,” Andy said, grinning. “That was funny.”
“Mmm...you never know,” Woody told him, trying not to smile.
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Woody grew closer to Nora and eventually adopted the name 'Hank', keeping Woody a secret name all for himself. During the day he was Hank, and alone in his bed at night he was Hank. Human nature grew on him and he found being an actual person was not as hard as it seemed. He ended up working at the shelter permanently, and after a few stolen kisses and the loss of his virginity, he moved into the attached garage apartment that Nora resided in.
Being with Nora was great, and Nora being related to Andy was an added bonus. Nora had been living in Alaska for most of Andy's life-that's why Woody had never seen her before, but now she making up for lost time and had Andy and Molly over on weekends. The kids themselves were becoming more and more fond of Woody, and now that he could touch Andy...
It was amazing.
“Uh oh! Here comes One-eyed Bart!” Woody said, running around the apartment with Potato Head.
“Buzz Lightyear will stop him!” Andy said, right on his tail. “He always gets the bad guy! Pew! Pew!”
“And One-eyed Bart grabs Buzz Lightyear!” Woody said, grabbing Andy from behind, picking him up in his strong arms, lifting off the ground. “He's taking Buzz Lightyear to the dungeon!”
“Oh no!” Andy laughed. “Not the dungeon! Aunt Nora, save me!”
Nora, sitting cross-legged on top of the kitchen table with Molly in her lap, shook her head and said, “You're on your own, Buzz.”
“Wait a second!” Woody said, stopping in his tracks. “Buzz hears somebody coming.”
“Who?” Andy asked.
Woody turned Andy upside down, making him laugh even more.
“Reach for the sky!” Woody said.
“It's Woody!” Andy shrieked with laughter. “Woody, save me!”
“You're goin' to jail, One-eyed Bart,” Woody said, picking up Potato Head and dumping him (gently) on the sofa. “Say goodbye to the wife and tator tots.”
Andy hugged Woody, and Woody hugged him back. It wasn't the first time they'd hugged, but each time felt like the first time.
“You're my favorite deputy,” Woody told him, giving him one final squeeze, kissing his forehead. “I love you, Andy.”
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Nearly two years passed before Woody asked Nora to marry him. By this time he'd gotten a job as a handyman around town (it wasn't law enforcement, but it would do) and the two of them had passed the shelter on and bought a house.
Just like the times with Mr. Davis, Woody's memories of being a toy and the family of toys he'd been with for so long were becoming distant. He didn't like it, not one bit, but he also had new memories, and Andy. It was Andy that he'd wanted for so long, and now he had him in the form of actual family. The Saturday before the wedding, Woody and Nora were taking Andy to the park to play with his new kite.
“Aw man!” He said as they were at the front door. “I forgot to grab my jacket!”
“Oh, yeah,” his mother said. “It's chilly out there. Go up and get it.”
“Awwww!!!!” Andy groaned.
“Um, I'll get it if you want,” Woody said, trying to sound casual.
“Yeah, please, Uncle Hank?” Andy asked. “It's hanging on my door.”
“Andy Davis!” His mother scoffed playfully.
“It's alright, Karen,” Woody said. “I have to hit the men's room anyway.”
He traveled upstairs and stepped into Andy's room, ignoring the jacket. It still felt like home in a faint way, and Woody desperately, guiltily tried to grasp the memories back, but they were so dim. He was startled when an envelope fell from the bookcase and hit the floor, almost at his shoe. He knelt down and picked it up. In familiar handwriting, it read 'Woody'.
His heart began beating fast as he opened it. It was a sheet of notebook paper with writing on it-a letter! He leaned against the open door frame and began to read it.
Woody, we're sorry we never respond to you when you speak to us. We believe you. We didn't at first, but we know it's you now. The law remains the same, however, and we're toys and you're a human now. We're so happy for you, and we're happy for Andy too. We wish you the best!
Underneath in different signatures was 'Buzz', 'Jessie', 'Ham', 'Rex', 'The Potato Heads', 'Slink'
Woody let out a long, shuddering sigh. He looked up at Buzz and Jessie, sitting on the desk, leaning against one another.
“Come on, guys,” he whispered pleadingly. “You can't say anything to me?”
The toys said nothing.
“Uncle Hank!” Andy called at the bottom of the stairs.
“Jacket, right!” Woody said. “Coming, Partner!”
He grabbed the jacket and just as he started back out of the room, he heard Buzz say, “Take care of him, Woody”.
Woody spun around and stared at the space ranger toy, but Buzz's smile was frozen in place, his expression the same as always. Woody waited, hoping maybe Buzz would change his mind and speak, and then wondered if Buzz had actually even spoken at all.
“Uncle Hank!” Andy called again,.
Woody sighed and said, “You too.”
He made his way back downstairs and helped Andy into his jacket.
“Mom?” Andy asked. “Can I spend the night with Aunt Nora and Uncle Hank?”
“Only if they say it's okay,” his mother said.
“Can I, Uncle Hank?” Andy begged. “Please, please, please?!”
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After a day of kite flying, dinner at Pizza Planet, an evening full of playing with toys and a movie and popcorn, Andy was down for the count. He'd fallen asleep on the couch between all of his toys, Rex on the floor under the little throw blanket.
“I guess I should put him to bed,” Nora said groggily, getting up to stretch.
“No, no, Sweetheart, it's fine,” Woody said. “I got him.”
He picked Andy up and the little boy hardly stirred at all, laying his head heavily on Woody's shoulder. Woody carried him to the little guest room that was set up for him and Molly and laid him on the bed.
“You're getting' heavy, Partner,” he grunted jokingly, pulling the covers back under Andy.
The seven year old stirred now, his blue eyes blinking heavily. Woody sat down on the edge of the bed.
“Are you the real Woody?” Andy slurred, rolling onto his side.
“I think you're still remembering tonight's space cowboy robot factory adventure,” Woody chuckled, covering him up.
“Are you him?” Andy asked, his voice dipping into sleep.
“What makes you say that?” Woody asked quietly.
“When my dad died,” Andy said, yawning and fighting to keep his eyes open. “I cried a lot that night. I cried even more than Molly.”
Woody would never forget that night.
“I remember crying so hard that it made me finally fall asleep, but before I went to sleep, Woody talked to me.”
Woody's heart caught in his throat. Andy knew?
“He told me that he would never, ever leave me and that he loved me,” Andy said and didn't say anything after that.
Woody decided he'd fallen asleep until the little boy finally did speak again.
“I think you are Woody,” he murmured.
Woody rubbed his hair with a deep sigh, and leaned down to kiss his forehead.
“I won't ever leave you,” he said.
He stood up and was surprised to see Nora leaning against the door frame.
“You scared me,” he said, his face burning. How much had she heard?
“Sheriff Woody,” Nora said, grinning. “Andy really loves you.”
“I love him,” Woody said and quickly added, “And Molly too. They're great kids.”
“I'm just glad,” Nora said, taking his hand and leading him to their own bedroom. “Karen's been worried for a while that Andy would never have a father in his life, and I'd say you're pretty damn close if not better.”
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That night, after everyone was asleep, Woody went to the living room and picked up Buzz Lightyear. He took him outside to the back patio and sat the space ranger on the patio table, and pulled up a chair to sit in.
“Look, I know you're not gonna talk to me,” he said. “And that's okay, I'll talk. I don't know what made me human, but it's been... a roller coaster of change and I sometimes feel guilty that I'm losing myself as one of you. As one of us, but no matter what happens, I'll take care of Andy. I'll take care of you and Jessie and Rex and Slink. I'll take care of all of you. I promise.”
He pushed one of Buzz's buttons just to hear his voice. Normally it would have said something space ranger-ish, but to Woody's surprise, it said something else.
“You're my favorite deputy!”
Woody's brows furrowed and he pushed the buttons again and again, but only the same, scripted phrases played back. He set Buzz back on the table and gave a short, dry chuckle, shaking his head.
“It could only be you, Buzz.”
He stared up at the starry sky and silently said one last prayer to never forget the life he'd left behind in order to keep Andy. To keep his friends too.